You finish the stock count and discover that 300 references in your spreadsheet have no label on the shelf. Every time goods arrive, someone writes the name by hand and the till lookup is done by typing.
How to use SKU Labels step by step
1. Copy the SKU column
In Excel or Google Sheets select the reference cells and copy them: every row becomes a line.
2. Paste into the codes box
The preview shows one label per SKU and flags any row with unsupported characters.
3. Download the sheet or the ZIP
Print the PDF on sticker paper or take the PNG ZIP into your labelling program.
The Step Count: Traditional Friction vs. KorexTools
Labelling an inventory from scratch with barcode fonts (4 steps)
- Install a barcode font.
- Insert asterisks or control codes in every cell.
- Adjust sizes so nothing gets cut off.
- Test a sheet with a scanner and discover formatting failures.
With SKU Inventory Labels on KorexTools (3 steps)
- Copy the SKU column from your sheet.
- Paste into the box and review the previews.
- Download the PDF or ZIP and print.
A well-built SKU makes the label last for years: how to name them before printing
A SKU is the internal code you use to identify each variant in your inventory: model, colour, size, warehouse. Unlike an EAN, you define it yourself, and that is why CODE-128 is the most comfortable format: it takes letters, numbers and dashes and nearly every scanner on the market reads it. A SKU like SHIRT-BLUE-M is clear at a glance and the scanner recognises it just the same.
Here you paste the whole SKU column from your spreadsheet and the tool creates one label per line with readable text under the bars. Rows with characters the format cannot take are flagged with their line number. You can adjust height, width and colour, add a title (say the shelf location) and export as a PNG ZIP or a PDF sheet.
Simple rules for naming SKUs
- •Use a fixed pattern (product-variant-size) and never change the order between references.
- •Avoid spaces and accents: dashes are safer for scanners and databases.
- •Keep the SKU short: the longer it is, the wider the label and the harder to read.
Meaningful SKU in CODE-128 against sequential numbering
| Aspect | Meaningful SKU | Sequential number |
|---|---|---|
| Human reading | Clear at a glance | You must check the table |
| Typing errors | Caught by the pattern | Hard to notice |
| Label length | Longer | Shorter |
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- ⚠️Pasting SKUs with trailing spaces that alter the code.
- ⚠️Mixing upper and lower case in the sheet and expecting the system to treat them as one SKU.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many SKUs can I paste at once?
Up to 100 per batch. If your inventory is larger, split the column into rounds and download each one separately.
Can my SKUs include accents or spaces?
Better to avoid them. CODE-128 allows spaces, but accents and unusual symbols can cause trouble in some scanners and databases.
Can I put the storeroom location on the label?
Yes: write the location in the title field and it will appear above the bars on every code in the batch.
What I would do if I were in your shoes
«Before pasting your column, sort it and remove duplicates: a repeated label on the shelf is worse than a missing one.» — DataKorex Engineering Team.